The Silver Royal’s obverse features a timeless portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Approved by the Palace in London, it is the first coin ever that pictures Her Majesty in front of the Rock of Gibraltar – “the Rock” – synonymous with the territory of Gibraltar itself and a symbol of indomitableness. To refer to something as being “as solid as a rock of Gibraltar” means to be steadfast and resolute, like the people of Gibraltar themselves.

The Rock of Gibraltar is one of the world’s most famous rocks and once even marked the border to the known world. However, nowadays it is an embodiment of independence, and freedom, and thus it stands for the very values of the Gibraltarians. A people, proud of their origins, that throughout history has formed a community of differing cultural backgrounds yet live in racial and religious harmony.

The reverse of the Gibraltar Silver Royal displays the Coat of Arms of the Government of Gibraltar, which combines the coat of arms of Her Majesty’s government with the coat of arms of Gibraltar. The former features the English lion and the Scottish unicorn holding a shield that contains the three lions of England in the first and fourth quarters, the lion of Scotland in the second quarter and the harp of Ireland in the fourth quarter. Underneath is the motto “Dieu et mon droit”—God and my right. The coat of arms of Gibraltar, centred underneath the British coat of arms, is an escutcheon with the top a triple-towered castle and the bottom a key hanging from a chain.

Given to the country’s history, the mint epitomises the values of the monarchy of the United Kingdom and those of the European Union. It typifies an optimal synergy which is depicted on the design of the coin: The Gibraltar Coat of Arms and a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in front of the Rock of Gibraltar.